Pneumonia is a serious and common respiratory infection, leading to over one million emergency department visits annually in the U.S. After patients leave the hospital, recovery isn’t easy, sometimes taking longer than six months to regain function.
But what if patients could receive pneumonia recovery care outside the hospital walls, no matter how far from health systems they live? Advances in telehealth raise the possibility of improved care for all pneumonia patients—a possibility that Barbara Jones, MD, has received a prestigious U.S. Fulbright Scholar Award in Medical Sciences to explore.
The Fulbright Program is an academic exchange program that places highly accomplished researchers and other professionals in participating countries to accelerate scientific progress across nations.
Supported by the award, Jones, a pulmonary and critical care physician at University of Utah Health and the VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System, will travel to Australia to learn how local health systems are using telehealth and digital technology to support people during pneumonia recovery, especially those living in rural areas. She also aims to develop ways to use telehealth to measure important patient outcomes, like mobility, and integrate that data into research and care.
I am incredibly honored for this opportunity to work with clinicians and health care systems in Australia. Australia is an amazing country with a lot of places that are similar to the western United States. They have some of the best health outcomes in the world. We have a lot to learn about how to help people recover from pneumonia, especially in rural settings.
Jones’ current research focuses on using health data to improve pneumonia care and outcomes for all patients in all settings, incorporating analyses of clinical decision-making and population-level data. Her newly funded project will further expand her work, aiming to ensure that every patient receives the best support during their pneumonia recovery, in or out of the hospital, no matter where they live.